Anchor
by SpySkater
Summary: Sometimes anger is not a strong enough anchor. Derek knows that. He just doesn't want to admit that to his Betas. Derek/OC
1. Chapter 1

Sometimes anger is not a strong enough anchor. Derek knows that. He just doesn't want to admit that to his Betas. Isaac has already found an anchor. It's only a matter of time before Erica and Boyd discover theirs. Besides, it's not like Derek lied. On the contrary, anger usually is his anchor. It has been for years now. But, sometimes, you need a little something more. And if the werewolf pups ever encountered that problem, he'd tell them the whole story one day.

At least, that was the initial plan. Derek was going to go for a walk and had requested Erica grab his jacket. And she did so without some witty or snarky remark. Derek was rather impressed. Then again, Erica always aimed to please him. She liked being part of the pack and Derek was the leader. She had no plans to become an Omega, voluntarily or involuntarily.

"Here ya go, boss man," Erica said, handing him the leather jacket. Derek took it, muttering a short thanks before pulling the jacket on. Pulling at the front of his jacket, he flipped the collar back up properly. The white tank top beneath it was covered in dirt, but it didn't matter much to him.

"I'm going out for some air. You three behave yourselves," Derek called out, turning to leave.

"Who's this?" Erica asked before he could reach the stairs. Derek sighed.

"Who's who?" he replied, turning his head. Erica was standing in the same place, head tilted down. She was staring at a wallet sized photo. Derek's head cocked to the side as he reached for the inside pocket of his jacket. Empty.

He paced quickly toward her, not noticing his other two young wards coming toward them. Derek quickly snatched the picture from the teenage girl's hand. Erica looked up at him, her eyes just barely catching the name on the back of the photo. She squinted to be sure she saw correctly before Derek hid the picture away in his jacket.

"It's no one," Derek answered, fixing his jacket again.

"Doesn't look like no one," Boyd said. He passed by Derek, taking a seat on the steps like he often did. Isaac stopped next to Erica.

"Yeah, you hid it pretty quickly," Isaac pointed out. Derek shook his head, giving a nonchalant expression. There were things that Derek just didn't talk about with the pack. They knew his parents had died in their burning home. That was about it. That was really all they needed to know for now. Scott didn't know much more than that. Why did they need to?

"Behave yourselves," Derek said. In other words, this conversation is over, don't bring it up again. He turned again, passing by Boyd as he went up the stairs.

"She's beautiful," Erica announced, stopping Derek in his tracks. He gripped the hand rail tightly, almost bending the metal beneath his fingers. He looked at the stairs beneath his feet. Erica, Isaac, and Boyd watched him, waiting for him to do something. To ignore Erica's comment and just keep walking up the stairs.

But he didn't.

"Isaac, do you remember what I told you about anchors?"

Erica and Boyd looked at Isaac expectantly. Isaac looked at the both of them almost nervously. He didn't like this sudden pressure, but he quickly put on that calm and cool attitude everyone was so used to seeing now.

"You said that it has to be meaningful and it can keep your human side in control," Isaac answered. "You said yours is anger."

"Not always," Derek said, coming back down the stairs. "Sometimes, the anger isn't enough and I need an extra push." The Alpha paused, stopping in between the separated Betas. Each one watched with intrigued and attentive eyes. Was Derek going to let them in? Tell them something personal? It would be unlike him, but maybe it would bind them even more as a pack. All three Betas liked that idea.

"Her name is Amber," Derek said after a few minutes of silence.

Isaac and Erica slowly went to sit near Boyd, staring up at their Alpha when they sat. Derek turned completely toward them.

"Where is she now?" Erica asked.

"Don't know. She disappeared." He paused again. "I met her in high school."

* * *

High school… Yeah, Derek couldn't say he was excited about that. Laura had made it a mission to tell him high school horror stories the night before. His mother had told her to stop, but that hadn't stopped Laura. Derek was pretty sure that she was just playing with his mind, but he could never be too certain. Maybe high school was Hell and he had no choice but to live through it day by day.

At the same time, Derek was a lot bigger than a lot of the other freshman boys. It wasn't his fault. It was a biological thing. Came with being a werewolf. He'd always been rather tall for his age and, now that he'd gone through puberty, he was more muscular without really trying. Still, he was rather thin; his face still rather babyish.

Stepping into his first period class, he looked around the room. He was the tallest in his class, it seemed. He couldn't tell just yet. Everyone was seated behind large lab tables. Derek leaned back, checking the room number and then his schedule. Yup, this was the right room. Biology in the morning. This was not going to be a fun year. He could tell already.

Derek took a seat at a table by himself and sat his backpack on it. The bag was filled with notebooks and pens and pencils. No books, yet. He pulled out a yellow notebook and labeled it for the class in his chicken scratch handwriting. He hunched over the desk, covering the notebook from view. He began doodling all over the notebook, his mind in a totally different world.

"Can I sit here?" a light voice asked. Derek looked over, his voice catching when his eyes rested on the girl in front of him. She was beautiful, her bright blue eyes standing out against caramel skin. Her messenger bag hung off of her left shoulder, crossing over chest. Her dark hair was pressed straight like a waterfall, falling over her shoulders. She pushed a strand back behind her ear with a manicured nail, staring at Derek. She lifted a perfect eyebrow. "Hello? Is anyone sitting here?"

Derek closed his mouth, realizing he was staring. He must have looked like a complete idiot.

"Sure. Go right ahead," he said quickly. He looked back at his notebook, daring a glance at her through the corner of his eye. The girl lifted her bag over her head and placed it on her side of the table. She straightened up her button-up, white shirt before taking a seat next to him. She tapped the desk with her nails for a moment before turning to Derek. She held out her hand.

"I'm Amber Farrell," she greeted. Derek looked up from his notebook and at her. He looked like a deer caught in headlights which caused her to smile. He grabbed her hand with a firm grip.

"I'm Derek Hale," he replied. They shook hands. Amber gave a short nod.

"Nice to meet you, Derek," she said, releasing his hand and turning back towards the board.

"You, too," Derek said softly, watching her. After a moment, he turned back to his notebook and smiled. Amber glanced over at him. She leaned forward a bit to see what he was drawing on his notebook. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"What's that?" she asked. Derek's head shot up.

"What's what?" he responded. Amber nodded toward his notebook. He looked down at it. "Oh. It's a triskelion."

"Hmm. Interesting. Simple, but beautiful," she said with a brilliant smile. She looked back towards the board as the teacher entered. Maybe biology wouldn't be so bad.

And it hadn't been. Amber had been much better at Biology than him and that definitely helped his grade. They didn't just have Biology together either. They also had English together and Geometry. She had helped him in Geometry, too. Through these three classes, they became friends. Best of, in fact. And then there was that full moon during the summer. The full moon that changed their lives.

Derek had spent the last few years in control of his werewolf self. His parents had taught him to anchor himself. His anchor was his family. Sure, they weren't normal like other families, but they were great. He loved his family. His sister. His mom. His dad. His uncle. Being a werewolf wasn't so bad, especially with your family by your side, your pack. Derek had people to teach him and that loved him.

This full moon, Derek and Laura were out running in the woods. Despite being desperate to keep their secret, Mr. and Mrs. Hale understood that they needed to release energy. Until they learned to anchor themselves, Derek and Laura were chained inside, but now they were free to roam as long as they stayed in the forest outside of their home.

Derek was running through the forest when he heard a scream. He stopped dead, listening. It wasn't Laura. Laura didn't sound like that. Not to mention, she was pretty close by. This scream was rather faint, but it was still rather loud to him. He looked to his left, deeper into the forest. With his enhanced eyesight, he could see Laura. She hadn't heard it, though.

Someone screamed again. This time, Derek recognized it. Amber.

He took off into the night, trees flashing past him. His teeth clenched, the cool air slapping against his cheeks. He heard his sister call his name, but it went ignored beneath his subconscious repeating the screams in his head. He ran out onto the road, dodging a car that came straight towards him. The car horn blared, but he didn't let it faze him. Amber was in trouble. His best friend was in trouble.

He reached her neighborhood, running down the sidewalk as fast as his legs would take him. The house was one story, made of red brick with a dark bluish gray roof. The house was silent. No screams. Just the sound of a slowing heartbeat.

Derek went to Amber's window, crouched down. He looked through it, finding her normally neat room completely trashed. Amber was lying on her bed, legs hanging over the edge. Her hair was a curly mess, covering her face.

Her father stopped at the doorway glancing back into the room. His skin was pale in the moonlight that entered her bedroom and spread across the room. A shadow fell across part of his face, making him look almost sinister. There was sweat beading on his face. His jaw was clenched and his blue eyes – Amber's eyes – were bright with rage.

With his werewolf hearing, Derek heard the man say, "little bitch," before he closed the door behind him.

Derek's jaw clenched tighter. Anger. That's all he felt. Anger. He could feel his humanity slipping from him as he stared at Amber's bedroom door. He felt himself slipping away, the caged animal within him needing more freedom. His eyes moved to Amber, though, and he took a deep breath.

The young man looked at the borders of the windows. There had to be a way to open it without breaking anything. His fingers pressed against the bottom of the window and he pushed up, hoping this would work. He got it up an inch or so and dug his fingers under it.

"Come on," he whispered before pushing up. The window struggled for a moment before it finally gave in to what Derek wanted. Once opened, Derek climbed into the window, landing gracefully on his friend's carpeted floor. He was still for a moment, listening for Mr. Farrell. He heard a TV on in another room, but no footsteps.

Derek crept toward the bed and stopped in front of Amber. He moved her naturally curly hair from her face, revealing the bruises and swelling that was developing on her eye and cheek. His glowing Beta blue eyes widened. A snarl escaped his lips, but he quickly shut up to avoid detection.

The teenage boy lifted her easily and laid her properly on the bed. She shifted in his arms, wincing. His face fell. Her face was obviously not the only thing in pain. Had she passed out from the beating? Or had her father knocked her out cold?

Derek lifted her blanket and placed it over her. He heard her give a whimper and her sheets rustled as she turned onto her side. Derek sat next to her on the bed, gently caressing the side facing him. Amber whimpered in pain, moving away from his hand. Derek withdrew his hand, not wanting to hurt her anymore. He knew he needed to go, but he wanted to be sure she was okay. But she wouldn't be okay. Not living here.

When she opened her eyes a half an hour later, her sight was blurred. But she did know that glowing blue eyes were staring down at her. Literally glowing. She blinked a few times, gasping the first time from the pain in her right eye. Her father had given her a rather hard back hand. But she'd deserved it, right? Talking back was worthy of punishment. She groaned. Who was she kidding? She couldn't excuse her father any longer.

Her sight cleared a bit more. What was hovering above her looked like a mix of a beast and a boy. She let out a scared breath, but then it caught in her throat.

"Derek?" she whispered. Derek quickly stood and went towards the window. He'd stayed too long, forgotten what he was. Amber sat up, giving another moan and whimper of pain. Derek stopped, hearing her in pain, and turned to her again. Amber gripped her right side, looking at Derek. Her right eye had blackened and her cheek was swollen. She could only guess what her body looked like beneath her clothes.

Amber looked Derek up and down. His body seemed the same, but he was certainly hairier. He'd grown out wild sideburns and his face seemed deformed. He looked more like an animal.

"What are you?"

"You're dreaming, Amber," Derek said.

"I don't think I'd be in this much pain in a dream. What are you, Derek?"

The teen wolf was silent for a long period. What could he possibly say? He couldn't just come out and say he was a werewolf. What would she do then? Would she stop being his friend? Would she tell people? Maybe she wouldn't believe him at all.

"How long has he been hurting you, Amber?" Derek asked. Now they both had questions they didn't want to answer. He knew it.

Amber swallowed hard.

"Since my mom died. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Has since he left the service and my mom dying didn't help," Amber said quickly.

"It doesn't mean he can hit you, Amber."

"It's fine," she interrupted. "Now, what are you? A werewolf? Because I hear these howls every full moon and you look… not completely human."

"Yeah. I'm a werewolf," he admitted. Amber couldn't help the smile on her face as he slowly approached her again. He sat next to her at her request and she gently felt over his face. It was strange and he was oddly bumpy around the brow line and nose. Derek let her ask questions for an hour before he made her swear to secrecy and disappeared out of her window.

So, Amber held his deepest darkest secret. His family's deepest darkest secret. But Amber hadn't said anything to anyone. She was extremely curious about his kind, constantly asking questions. Soon, Derek had to tell his parents that Amber knew their secret, because she started coming around more often. But it wasn't only that secret he told them.

He may have sworn not to report her father to the police, but he did tell his mom who was starting to notice small, fading bruises along the girl's skin. Mrs. Hale made it a mission to keep Amber around for as long as possible, which became increasingly easy as the two teenagers gave into their hormones and more than platonic feelings for one another. Laura had said it was bound to happen for Derek. He was a werewolf after all.

Amber spent the afternoon of her fifteenth birthday at the Hale household. She knew she'd have to get home before the sun went down, though. Her birthday was typically the only day her father wasn't prepared to hit her. He usually stayed sober, but she didn't want to push her luck.

His lips pressed against hers gently, but she could still sense the starving desire. Derek was always like this. He was always gentle with her to counteract the behavior of her father, especially on days when she was recovering. But there was always that primal animal just beneath the surface, waiting to be satisfied. Just because he kissed her tenderly didn't mean that the beast within wasn't sending messages in other ways. Usually, Derek just wouldn't pull away unless he was desperate for breath and those breaks never lasted long.

Amber's hand reached into dark hair, feeling it slide between her fingers as she occasionally tugged or pressed it down to pull him closer. Her other hand rested on his back, just beneath his shirt. For someone just as inexperienced as she was, Derek was a good kisser. Then again, she'd never kissed anyone else, so she could have been wrong. He satisfied her, though, and that's what mattered.

She pulled away from his lips, feeling her heart rate speed up faster than she wanted. He leaned in to kiss her again despite this. A giggle escaped her as his lips pressed to hers again. Amber pushed against his chest, pulling back as well as she could, her head just touching the headboard of his bed.

"Alright, calm down. I realize werewolves are like hyper-sexual or whatever, but give me a moment," she teased in that airy voice he loved so much. He laughed.

"Sorry. It's hard to anchor while kissing, especially when you're the anchor." He placed a quick peck to her lips.

"Well, find another anchor. Like – I dunno – your mother walking in on us. This is a very compromising position."

Derek released a bar of the headboard behind her. He lay next to her, using the hand beneath her to press her against his side. Amber readjusted, placing her head on his shoulder and a hand on his chest. In the matter of a year, he'd grown exponentially… well, muscle-wise anyway. He was nearing six feet now, though, too, rivaling Amber's five-four stature.

"I wanted to discuss my birthday present with you anyway," she said softly.

"Amber, you know I don't have money," he replied.

"I know," she said quickly. "Luckily, it doesn't cost money."

Derek looked down at her curiously. Any gift that didn't cost him money was a good thing to him. He was fifteen. He didn't have a job. He did wonder what she could possibly want that was free, though. He couldn't think of anything.

"I want you to actually give this idea a chance, okay?" she said, sitting up and looking down at him. Derek's brows furrowed even more, but he nodded. Amber took a deep breath before speaking. "I want you to turn me."

Derek quickly sat up, his arm moving from her waist so he no longer had physical contact with her.

"You want me to what?" he asked incredulously.

"To turn me. I've been thinking and it might be good for us. You wouldn't have to worry about hurting me. We'd be in the same pack, right? We'd be connected," she explained.

"I'm not sure about this, Amb-"

"He's getting worse," she interrupted. Derek was silent. He stared at her for a long moment. Amber broke eye contact, looking down at her lap. She fiddled with her fingers. She didn't like discussing her home life with Derek. It was a taboo subject, but it was a major part of her decision. "He's getting worse, Derek. He's hitting me more often. He's losing his grip, his sanity. He snaps faster. He's more likely to hit me for small things." She looked back into his eyes. "Why do you think I'm afraid to get home after sunset?

"I can't be this helpless, little girl anymore, Derek. I need something to fight back with, to compensate for me being so much smaller than him. I need power, Derek. I can't keep this going; I can't keep taking hits."

"Then let me call the cops," Derek demanded. It's what he said whenever her father was brought up.

"I don't want him to go to jail. I just want him to realize he can't hurt me anymore. That we're equal. If he goes to jail, then what Derek? Where will I go? He's all I've got and vice versa," Amber said. Derek sighed. If Mr. Farrell went to jail, Amber would most likely end up in foster care and that could take her away from him for good.

"I need to talk to my parents."

"Fine, let's talk to them now," Amber said, hopping off Derek's bed. Fixing her shirt, she headed out of his room and downstairs.

"Amber!" Derek called, getting up quickly and chasing her out.

His parents had given them a confused look when they asked. Mr. and Mrs. Hale didn't know what the right answer was. They weren't big on changing people, but Amber was volunteering; she was willing. But they'd have to teach her control as soon as possible, which left people in danger if none of the Hales were around her. But she was in danger every time she walked through her own front door. They wanted her to protect herself. The Bite might help her, save her.

They went through everything that she would gain as a werewolf, the pros and the cons. It was the only way they'd feel good about turning her. If she was aware of the decision she was making. It was a rule that Derek would carry with him for the rest of his life.

When they finished their talk with Amber, her decision was made. Derek bit her.

Three weeks later, the police were at their door, Amber behind them. Her father had been taken to the asylum. The police couldn't believe his wild accusations of his daughter turning into some wild creature that scratched him with the claws of a wolf or mountain lion. It was just unbelievable. So, Mr. Farrell was committed. Once the cops were gone, Amber told the Hales the whole story.

Her father had snapped on her again, throwing her onto their coffee table. She lost control. She couldn't anchor herself. She changed and attacked him. She was just glad she hadn't killed him. For now, the police were granting the Hales custody, because they were the only family Amber trusted. Amber had begged Sheriff Stilinski for this.

What started out as temporary began looking more like permanent. Amber didn't mind staying with the Hales. Being a part of the pack, she felt like she was family. The Hales loved her and were teaching her control when it came to being a werewolf. Although, being chained up for the full moon wasn't the best feeling in the world. But it felt a hell of a lot better than when she and Derek broke up the week before junior year began and had to see one another every day. The reasoning for the break-up was so stupid and insignificant that as he told the story to his Betas, he couldn't even remember what it was.

Junior year went by differently than freshman and sophomore year. Derek and Amber found themselves hanging out with different people. They didn't even bother sitting together in class. It was only at the end of the school day that they saw one another… and that Amber got her first glance at Kate Argent.

"Who's that?" she asked, staring at the car that was honking. Derek picked up his bag, a smirk on his face. He looked back towards the car and then at Amber.

"That? That's Kate," he answered. Amber still had her eyes on Kate. She was pretty, that was for certain. Her golden blonde hair was in loose curls and, with her wolf vision, Amber could see that she had grayish blue eyes. She was also definitely not a high school student. She looked like she could be in college.

"Okay, another question. What's she doing with you? She looks like she's in college," Amber pointed out.

"She's twenty-two and she's my girlfriend." Derek moved to leave, but Amber grabbed his arm. Her hand was nowhere near wrapping completely around it anymore. Derek looked back at her with questioning blue eyes, but his smirk gave a different message. He was enjoying this. Amber could tell. He liked that she was pulling him back.

"I'm getting bad vibes off of her, Derek. I don't think you should hang out with her," Amber said softly. Derek's smirk grew, his eyes no longer curious. Yeah, he was enjoying this.

"Or maybe you're just jealous," Derek said. Amber scoffed. She looked back at Kate and then at Derek. She shook her head.

"The only thing she might have on me is her age and experience. And even that may be a con," Amber said. "No offense to her, but I'm definitely prettier." Derek couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him. "Derek, don't go with her."

"Yeah, you're definitely jealous." He turned to leave again, but Amber pulled at his bicep again.

"Or maybe this is just your lame attempt to make me jealous. Well, I'm not, Derek. I'm worried. Something about her strikes me as wrong. Don't let your hubris get in the way. It's always been your weakness."

"My lame attempt to make you jealous? Amber, she's a woman."

"Yeah, so, what's she doing with a little boy?" Amber shot back. Derek's jaw clenched and she could tell by the twitch of his cheekbones. "Think about it, Derek."

"Tell mom and dad I'm out with friends and I'll be home for dinner," he said. He pulled his arm from his grip and turned to leave. Amber sighed, rolling her eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched Derek get into the car with Kate, who was staring at her. Amber stared at Kate, making eye contact. She didn't know what it was, but something about Kate made her want to run the other way. Her skin crawled and her heart rate increased. And she felt… angry. Her teeth clenched, trying to anchor herself, feeling the beast dying to be released. She needed to anchor.

_Derek. Derek. Derek._

And then Kate smiled.

Amber felt a snarl coming, her lip curling up. And then Derek kissed her. Amber scoffed, immediately turning to go inside. Anchoring wasn't going to work this time. Something was wrong with Kate. Amber could feel it.

But like Derek asked, she lied for him. Why? She may not have been jealous of Kate, but she did love Derek still. She wanted him to be happy and maybe – just maybe – she was paranoid. Maybe Derek was right and she was just extremely jealous, though she highly doubted that.

Then there was the fire and that changed everything. Laura, Derek, and Amber returned home to fire trucks surrounding the house. Derek tried to run into the house, but was held back by firemen and then Laura and Amber. They watched as the last of the flames were extinguished. The house was blackened and the three teenagers could see inside. Everything they had was gone. Mr. and Mrs. Hale. Dead. Uncle Peter. Comatose. Their belongings, everything was gone. It was just them.

"We have to leave," Laura said quietly. Amber and Derek both looked at her, confused.

"And go where?" Derek asked. Laura shrugged. She looked back at her younger brother and Amber. They were her responsibility now. They had no other family. She and Derek had just lost their whole family. Amber's father was in an asylum and her mother was dead. The three of them had to stick together. They were what were left of the pack.

"I dunno," Laura answered. "But do you honestly think that this was an electrical fire? You think it was an accident? Even some of the cops think that this was arson. Someone was out to kill our family. I dunno who. I dunno why, but something tells me it has to do with what we are. And when they realize that the three of us survived, they'll come for us next. I'm eighteen now. I can watch after you."

Amber felt herself reach for Derek's hand. He glanced back her. She wasn't afraid. He knew that. She just needed comfort right now. A sense of normality. And he did, too. So, his fingers clasped around hers.

"Wait, since mom and dad are gone, does that make you the Alpha?" Derek asked. Laura was silent for a long moment.

"I guess we'll find out. We're leaving. As soon as the cops stop dealing with us, we're leaving," Laura said.

And that's what they did. The next month, the Hale pack had left Beacon Hills, leaving behind the fire, if only physically. But all three continued to wonder why the fire had happened. Were they even safe?

With Kate behind them, the two teenagers got over their petty break-up and tried things again. But in the back of his mind, Derek wondered if maybe Amber had been right. If maybe Kate had used him. And those thoughts always led back to the fire. Was she responsible for that? If so, why?

But Amber usually managed to take his mind off of things, unknowingly to her. She would kiss him and his mind would be taken off of the arson. Or she would just speak or touch him and his troubles would be lifted off of his shoulders. But the end of high school meant thinking of the future. Going through school was already a plan from childhood. But now that that plan was over, they needed a new plan.

Laura had said she was sticking around until the two graduated high school and Derek got the feeling her plan was to go back to Beacon Hills and investigate the fire. She didn't say it, though. Amber had plans of going to college like a normal person. Becoming a werewolf hadn't changed her plans. She wanted to study fashion and business like her mother had. Derek didn't have a plan, though.

Amber curled up to Derek, pulling his arm further around her shoulder. Her head rested against his chest, her fingers fiddling with his. Derek smiled, looking down at her. Laura was at work and wouldn't be home for another hour or two. That left dinner to be made by Amber. Derek had to take out the trash and clean the dishes. The rest of the chores were divided up.

"So, I've been thinking," Amber said.

"Uh-oh," Derek teased. She nudged his side, a small smile on her face.

"Shut up. I've been thinking that maybe you could come to New York with me. I mean, you said you weren't planning on going to college. Laura is going God knows where. I'll be in New York for school. And I want us to stay together. We could rent an apartment near NYU. You could find a job while I go to school. I'll get a part time job."

"I dunno," Derek replied. Amber looked up at him, curious. "I mean, yeah, it sounds great, but…" He trailed off, trying to find the words. How could he explain this to her? How he felt? Why he didn't want to go?

"But what?" Amber asked when he'd be silent for a while.

"But… I don't feel like there'd be anything in New York for me. I mean, you would be. But I just don't think I'd like being there, going to some dead end job every day while I wait for you to finish school," Derek said, pretty sure that explained it clearly enough.

"Oh," Amber said simply. "I understand. Just think about it, okay? I'd really love to have you there with me."

* * *

"I thought about it. She left for New York. I stayed in LA. We tried to have a long distance relationship. We'd call and write. She was studying. I began travelling, trying to figure out what had happened to my home. Maybe it had been an electrical fire. But I couldn't accept that. I couldn't accept that my parents had been killed in a simple accident.

"Before I came back to Beacon Hills, I tried to find her in New York, but there was no sign of her. By then we'd just lost touch with each other. I guess she moved on, so I returned home. I tried howling for her every full moon, but she never answered. She's never returned the call," Derek said finishing his story. The Alpha and his Betas were quiet. Erica glanced at Isaac and Boyd, who didn't know what to say. Derek's high school sweetheart, the girl he'd never actually ended things with.

"We could probably use her help now," Boyd said.

"Want my help, you got it. Still wearing those leather jackets, I see." Derek's eyebrows furrowed as he looked up at the stairs. His Betas looked behind them. "Couldn't bother putting on a normal shirt, Derek? Stubble looks good on you. And my, my, you've gotten bigger. Didn't know that was possible."

Her bright smile was the same as it had always been. Sweet and, at this moment, teasing. Her bright blue eyes stood out against her caramel skin. Her hair had been dyed, naturally dark at the roots and slowly transitioning into a golden color at the middle. Her leather motorcycle jacket, unzipped and strap not clasped around her waist, covered a plain, fitted white shirt. Her jeans were also fitted, tucked into ankle boots. She made it a mission to show off the amazing body God had given her.

The tattoo on her wrist was visible. A triskelion that matched Derek's.

"Amber?" Derek said simply.

The young woman looked down at the young Betas as she passed them on the stairs. She approached Derek, stopping directly in front of him, thumbs in the pockets of her jeans. She stared up at him with those bright blue eyes.

"Miss me? So, you're the Alpha dog now. And I see you've got us some little werewolf pups," she teased. Derek stared down at her still in disbelief. What were the odds that she'd appear after he'd shared her with his pack? After he'd spilled his deepest secret. His love for her.

"What are you doing here?" Derek asked. Amber's smile faded. The room was silent, tension felt among the wolf pack. Amber looked up at Derek with a serious expression. He swore he saw tears in her eyes. But Amber wouldn't cry. He knew that. She had cried enough in this lifetime.

"I'm answering your call."


	2. Chapter 2

**Because I've gotten so many requests to continue this, I've decided to. I have no idea where it's headed. It'll take me a while to write chapters, because of school and figuring out what happens next, but you guys got your wish. So, onto the second chapter of _Anchor_.**

* * *

"When did it happen?"

Her voice was quiet with a slight tremble. It brought to mind the abused teenage girl he used to know. The one that was afraid to cry in front of him, so she held back. But he always heard it in her voice. She could never hide the quiver. She was strong now, but she still couldn't disguise it. Even as she bowed her head, staring down at the floor of the abandoned subway train, Derek knew that Amber was trying to hold back tears.

Derek held onto the bar above his head, putting most of his weight on it. He shrugged, looking out of the window of the subway car. His grip tightened on the metal for a short moment. His walk had been forgotten about with Amber's surprise appearance. Just one look in those blue eyes and Derek wasn't going anywhere.

Derek was silent. All he did was let out a deep breath. He looked away from her and shrugged. Amber looked up at him.

"Don't do that, Derek," she demanded sternly. Derek looked at her, unaccustomed to her forceful tone. "Don't withdraw to push me away. I got enough of that when I asked you to go to New York with me. Remember that?"

* * *

Awkward didn't properly sum up how the last few months had felt. The days went by as they normally did. Laura went off to work. Derek and Amber went to school. Their last year of high school and, quite frankly, neither of them really wanted to do work. They sat through their classes; if Derek struggled, Amber came to his rescue. They sat together at lunch. Derek drove them home in the afternoon. They worked on chores and homework; Amber made dinner.

But something had changed.

Derek was being distant. He wasn't as responsive when they talked. When she kissed him, there wasn't much of a return from him. If he wrapped his arm around her, Amber noticed he was restless. His arm was tense or twitched every so often. Amber started to regret inviting him to move to New York with her. But what else could she do? It'd be rude to just leave and not invite the man she loved, right?

It was like that until the school year ended and continued into the summer. Even Laura had started to notice and she was rarely home. But now, she had two days until she was leaving and no answer from Derek. They hadn't even discussed it since that night.

Amber leaned against Derek's doorway, arms crossed over her chest. His back was to her as he worked out on the floor of his bedroom. She was silent as she watched him do his nightly push-ups, his biceps rippling. Her eyes stopped on his back where the triskelion tattoo rested, muscle moving beneath it. The triskelion that matched the one on Amber's right wrist, another connection for them to share.

There had been nights when Amber would sit on his bed, watching him, and the two would just talk. It didn't matter what about, but they would talk and Derek would always find a way to make her laugh. But that hadn't happened in a while.

She let him finish his push-ups in peace. He stood up and turned to grab his towel. Hand on the towel, he paused, catching Amber in the corner of his eye. He continued picking it up, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"How long have you been standing there?" he asked, not looking at her. Amber shrugged in response. Like him, she didn't look in his direction. Her eyes trailed over his room. There wasn't much to it. He hadn't bothered to get too comfortable in their small apartment. Then again, Derek had never been the type of guy to put posters on his wall. One time, when Amber had asked why, he gave her some cheesy line about preferring to stare at her all day. She'd smiled. How could she not?

"Few minutes," Amber answered shortly. She rested her head against the door frame. Derek wiped down his arms, occasionally stealing a glance at her. Was there something she wanted? Sure, there had been a time when Amber would stop by his room just to look at him, but recently, it was a rare occurrence.

They were silent for a long time, neither teenager looking at the other.

"So, I take it you're not coming," Amber finally said. Derek looked at her directly this time. He let out a breath, but didn't respond. Head still tilted down a bit, Amber looked up at him through her eye lashes. Derek noticed her posture. Usually, when she crossed her arms over her chest, it was a sign of her sass and confidence. But that wasn't the case now. Her shoulders were hunched over and the way her arms were crossed made her look like she was hugging herself.

Derek shrugged.

"God, I hate when you do that," Amber mumbled. Sliding against the doorframe, she stepped over the threshold of his room. She started down the hall, but a hand gripped her just above the elbow. Tight, firm, strong. Amber looked back at Derek and he noticed the tears in her eyes. Her jaw was tense which meant her teeth were clenches and she was fighting the tears.

Derek pulled Amber back into his bedroom. Despite being reluctant, Amber didn't fight him; she sort of just dragged behind him. They stopped just inside his room. Derek reached behind her, closing his door, before running a caressing finger over her arm. Amber stared up at him, waiting.

She finally got what she wanted when his lips pressed against hers, gentle as always, but she could sense the animal desire just beneath the surface. Now that she had a beast of her own, his was much easier to recognize. She kissed him back, her hands moving to his shoulders. It was the most intimate they'd been in months. Well, ever, actually.

They didn't discuss what happened the following morning. Amber came down to the kitchen table in her pajama shorts and tank top, her hair a curly mess. Derek hadn't even bothered to put on his sweatpants from the night before. He only put on his boxers and followed Amber down five minutes later. They sat across the table from one another, both showing signs of sleep deprivation.

"So, your last day here," Laura said, approaching the table with two plates. She set them down in front of the two teens. Amber smiled, looking down at the plate of pancakes, sausage, and eggs. Her favorite. She looked up at Laura gratefully. The older wolf returned with her own plate, taking a seat at the head of the table. "We better make the best of it, eh?"

For a flash of a moment, Amber noticed Derek smile smugly down at his food. Her eyes narrowed curiously at him, but she couldn't help the smirk that crossed her own face. Yeah, they'd made the best of it.

Well, maybe not the best.

Instead of spending all day in the apartment, the pack went to the mall. Amber had made it a mission not to buy anything. All of her stuff was packed for her flight tomorrow. She didn't need to add more luggage to what she already had. Still, Laura had insisted on buying her a new bag. It was definitely something Amber would carry. Leather, small, dark, a bit like a backpack. Amber swore she'd carry it on the plan with her.

They spent the night doing activities they'd done when Derek and Laura's parents were alive. Despite the summer heat, they roasted marshmallows, though they had to do it over the stove. They watched werewolf movies and made fun of every cliché and stereotype they could find. They made jokes and laid around the living room, talking until they all fell asleep on the living room floor.

Standing at the airport, Amber suddenly regretted having to leave. Laura and Derek were her family. They were all she had left. Now the pack was splitting up, something they had never planned when the fire happened. Amber had thought the three of them would always stick together. The Three Musketeers. But she was going to school in New York. Laura was leaving after the next moon. Who knew what Derek was going to do?

"If you need anything, just howl. I'll come to you," Laura said as she hugged Amber. The younger girl held on tight to her, smiling. Laura had always treated her like a sister. It was as if she'd always known Amber was a part of the pack even when she wasn't.

"You know I will," Amber replied with a nod. She pulled away from Laura, taking in her appearance. Her brown hair, her blue eyes, that straight nose she shared with Derek. She looked a lot like Mrs. Hale. Amber had no clue this would be the last time she'd see Laura.

Amber moved in front of Derek. They stared at one another for a long time, sad smiled on their faces. Amber was the one to make the first move. She wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. This was the end of them. Or maybe it was a hiatus. She didn't know. But, for now, they were done and it took all of her will not to cry.

Derek put his arms around her, squeezing. He rested his cheek on top of her head. Amber closed her eyes, committing the moment to memory.

She didn't know how long the hug lasted, but she finally pulled away, forcing a smile on her face.

"Guess this is it," she said. There was nothing more to say. Right?

Derek nodded, his own smile plastered on.

"Yeah. Guess it is," he replied. Amber nodded. She fixed the bag Laura had bought on her back and grabbed her suitcase. The rest of her stuff was being shipped to New York.

Amber backed away from the Hale siblings.

"I'll be seeing you," she told them before turning and walking toward the airport entrance. Amber grabbed her sunglasses from her pocket and put them on, hiding her tears. She'd always thought she'd never have to cry again after all the time her father abused her. Amber had never expected she'd have to leave Derek Hale behind, though.

* * *

Derek sighed again.

"Last year. She was murdered last year," he answered. Amber looked at him with wide eyes.

"Murdered?" Derek nodded. Amber sighed, shaking her head. "She was right. Someone was after us."

"The police arrested me when they found her body on my property." Derek left out the part about Laura being chopped in half. She didn't need every detail. Laura was dead. There was no bringing her back That's what Amber needed to know.

"Wow. Does Sheriff Stilinski know nothing about you?" Amber replied with a bittersweet laugh.

"Peter killed her."

"Uncle Peter?" Derek nodded. Amber looked slightly to the side. "Damn. Guess you were a liable suspect. Why'd he do it?"

"He wanted to be Alpha," Derek answered.

"And now you're Alpha. Which means you…" She didn't finish. Derek moved closer and crouched down in front of her. He reached for her hand. When he did, Amber could see a large, black beast in front of her. Beneath her. Blood spurted from its neck in one swift moment.

Amber drew her hand back from his with a gasp.

The two wolves were silent, not sure what to talk about. There were plenty of things to discuss, though. What they'd been up to while the other was away for five years. Why Amber had ignored his calls. Why she had suddenly come back. What it meant now that she was back. Did they stay friends or return to the way things were?

"Where'd you find the pups?" Amber asked before Derek could say what was on his mind. He looked up at her, noticing that her gaze was focused on the other side of the window. Isaac and Boyd were wrestling, training. Erica was still sitting on the stairs, watching the fight, but occasionally glancing toward the subway car.

"Beacon Hills High School," Derek answered.

"Oh, no," Amber laughed. "The old alma mater, huh?"

"You mean what should have been the alma mater."

"Yeah, well…" She shrugged. She continued to stare at the three teenagers. She swallowed hard, feeling something stir in her. She didn't know how to explain it. It wasn't like when she stared at Derek. She easily described that as an overwhelming fire. It was heat. But with these kids it was something different. Similar to how she'd felt around Laura, but stronger. Her eyes landed on Isaac and lingered. The feeling pulled strongly.

"Isaac is the curly haired one. Boyd's the bigger one. And Erica… Well, if you can't figure that one out," he teased. Amber smiled. "There's one more, too. Well, kinda. Scott."

"I feel connected to them already. It's weird. Especially Isaac," Amber said softly.

"The two of you have a lot in common," Derek admitted. Amber looked at him, curious. Her brows furrowed, forehead creasing.

"How so?" she asked.

"I'll let him tell you that story. So, what are you doing back in Beacon Hills?" Derek said quickly. She wasn't escaping that question. Not tonight. He needed to at least know that. Everything could be answered later.

"I'm opening a boutique here. You didn't hear about that?" Amber asked. He shook his head.

"Been rather busy."

"Mmm. Well, speaking of the boutique, I need to get going. I have a meeting early tomorrow morning. I'll see you tomorrow?" she said. Her question sounded hopeful and that made Derek smile, whether he wanted to or not. "Nice seeing you again, Derek."

Amber stood up and went to leave the car. Derek stood as well, watching her. As she reached the door, he called to her again.

"The boutique's not the only reason you came back." Amber stopped walking. "Why'd you really come back?"

Amber bit her lip before looking back at Derek with a smile.

"That's a story for another time. Later, Derek."

And with that, she left.


	3. Chapter 3

The gray metallic BMW did not fit the scene around them. The warehouse was rundown and beat up. The convertible in front of it was not. In fact, it was freshly waxed and polished, gleaming in the sun. Isaac stared at it for a long moment before his gaze fell to the black high heel exiting from it. His eyes moved, following the path of lovely legs to the little black dress. Isaac had to admit, Amber knew how to make an entrance. And she certainly didn't fit into their current environment.

The young woman approached the warehouse, clutch bag under her arm. Amber obviously wasn't worried about her car, seeing as she didn't bother to lock it. She either figured the area was abandoned or no one was a threat to her. Isaac went back and forth between looking at the car and Amber. It was difficult to choose which to look at. The M3 Convertible was a beautiful car. But Amber was a beautiful woman. And he probably had no chance of having either… well, maybe he could afford a BMW someday.

"He's not here," Isaac said as she passed him on the stairs. Amber paused, hand on the railing, one foot on the top stair. She looked down at the teenager. He returned her gaze, lips parted and showing off perfect teeth. Amber placed her weight on her back foot, turning to him, back to the stair railing. Isaac was an attractive young man, she had to admit. Good teeth. Bewitching eyes. Adorable curls. And that jaw. It was on par with Derek's, maybe even better. He was better looking than quite a few of her models.

Amber came down a step, so her higher foot was on level with him. Isaac swallowed.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"I dunno. Derek isn't big on telling us where he's going," the teen answered. His eyes lowered before he turned his head to look directly ahead again. He heard her sigh. Her heels tapped against the stairs as she went down once more. Then the step creaked as she sat next to him.

"I can wait."

Isaac looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She crossed her legs at the ankles, causing her body to turn slightly. She looked straight ahead just like he did. They were both quiet for a long time. What was there to say for either of them? They didn't know each other. Amber had just shown up the night before and then left after a private word with Derek. And Isaac was a kid that attended her old high school.

_The two of you have a lot in common._

Amber looked at Isaac. That's what Derek had said the night before. They had a lot in common, but what? She was turning her head to look away when she noticed a mark on Isaac's hand. It wasn't something many people would notice. It was just a couple shades darker than his skin. Usually, you'd have to search for it and actually know what you were looking for. Amber hadn't been looking for it, but she knew what it was.

She reached for his hand. In a quick flash, she noticed a belt wrap around Isaac's hand. The teenager jumped away from her.

"A lot in common, huh," Amber mumbled under her breath.

Isaac pulled his hand away and held it tightly in the other. He glanced at Amber, cautious. Amber recognized that fear in his eyes, but it was more than that. He looked like a threatened animal that had just been wounded. Amber had seen that look so many times in the mirror.

"I understand," she said softly.

"You couldn't possibly understand," he replied. Amber looked at him. She was quiet. There was a specific way to deal with abused children. She knew from experience. For her, she'd never felt like anyone was in her corner until she met the Hales. Isaac had probably felt the same way about Derek. But Derek didn't understand. Amber knew that from experience, too.

"I do understand. It's scary. Not having the power to fight back," she told him. "Scary knowing that your father is capable of such violence. Of so much terror. And to his own child."

Isaac looked at her.

"Sometimes I'd look in my father's eyes and it felt like he wasn't even there anymore," she said.

* * *

How was it that they had the same eyes? Her mother had told her that for years. It was something she'd been so proud of. It was so rare for black children to have blue eyes. But there was her little angel with bright blue eyes to match her father's. But at times like these, even though she couldn't see the color through the blur of her tears, she wished that her eyes weren't the same as his, weren't the same as this monster's.

He grabbed and pulled her dark curls, causing her to fall back. That was always the worst to her. A punch to the face. A kick to the ribs. Not as bad as her hair being pulled. She had this fear that one day her father would pull too hard and her hair would rip from her scalp, her head bleeding out. She realized it was an irrational fear compared to the rest of the frightening situation, but it was something that was there.

The relief she felt when he let go was cut short by the back of her head hitting the hardwood floor. She closed her eyes, her head swimming in pain. Headache. It'd be there for hours.

"Daddy, please," she begged. She hated to call him that when he was in one of his moods. However, she hoped that it would alleviate her pain, make him stop. Sometimes the monster went away. Sometimes it continued its reign of terror.

Her head whipped to the side, cheek burning from the landing of his heavy hand. The tears fell from her eyes even faster. She had to get away. Using her feet, she pushed herself against the hardwood floor, moving from beneath him. She tried to turn onto her stomach, but he moved swiftly. He picked her up by her arms, her feet hovering inches from the floor.

Amber stared into her father's eyes. He was a beautiful man whose features had been distorted into those of a vicious monster. No, he wasn't the type of monster you read about in fairy tales or saw in movies. He was the one you read about in the newspaper, but never saw, because he disguised himself so well. This monster's disguise: war hero and loving, widowed father.

He threw her. Her back hit the wall. Her head smashed into it. She whimpered before forcing herself to her feet. Amber grabbed the corner of the wall and pulled herself into the hallway. She ran to her room, listening to the heavy footfall behind her.

She nearly ran into the door frame as she turned into her room. She turned on her toes, pushing the door shut behind her. A second later, there was a huge bang against it. The door shook and Amber held onto the doorknob for dear life.

"Amber Nicole Farrell, move away from the door!" her father shouted. Amber closed her eyes, but didn't respond. He didn't even sound like himself. "Amber!"

Then there was silence. Amber's teeth were clenched in fear. She pressed her ear to the door. Was he gone? She certainly wasn't going to open the door to check. He might still be out there. So, she waited. She stood in silence, waiting for some indication that her father was there, that he was waiting her out. But she got nothing.

Finally, she moved from the door, figuring he was gone. Still, she didn't open it. She didn't want to give any indication that she was letting her guard down. If she stayed here and quiet, maybe he'd think she was still sitting against the door.

The door opened with a bang and Amber immediately turned. She received another slap to the face. Shocked, she fell back onto her bed. He pinned her arms to the bed with one hand. Amber made no attempt to fight back. He was stronger than her, being a former soldier. He was still in great shape. She took a punch to her ribs. She took several hits to the ribs. She stopped counting them after a while, trying to focus on staying conscious.

The last thing she felt was the back of her father's hand against her right eye and everything went black. The next thing she saw were the blue eyes of a Beta. Derek.

* * *

"We may change into wolves, but our transformation is nowhere near as frightening as theirs," Amber said in a soft voice. Isaac looked at her sadly. Amber took his hand gently, squeezing. "But we got out. We made it out."

"He wasn't always like that," Isaac said, his voice cracking. Amber looked at him with empathy, her eyes full of understanding. Isaac looked into them and saw that. It was something he wasn't used to. He'd never had anyone who understood him. Understood what it was like to look at your father in terror. To live in your own home and never feel safe.

"Mine wasn't either. But Isaac, remember to hate the monster, not the person and to love the person and not the monster. That was a hard lesson for me. It was hard for me to separate my father from his problems. I loved him and the monster and that kept me in danger. And now I know what to love. But don't hold the monster against them, because we all have them."

Isaac nodded.

"What happened to your father?" he asked her.

"Mental institution. No one believed him when he told them I turned into a wolf. Yours?"

"Dead. Murdered."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

There were footsteps in the gravel nearby, which caused both wolves to look up. Derek was approaching the warehouse. A few yards away in fact. They were silent as he walked up them, his eyes studying the scene before him. His gaze landed on Amber and Isaac's bonded hands.

Amber released Isaac, standing up.

"Just who I wanted to see," she said. Derek looked at Isaac, whose gaze was focused on the ground, and then at Amber who looked at him straight on with confidence.

"Hmm," Derek said. "Let's go inside then." He stepped between her and the teenage boy, going up the steps to the entrance. Amber followed behind him.

"Amber?" Isaac said softly. She and Derek both turned their heads to look at him. "Can we talk again sometime?"

Amber smiled softly and nodded.

"Sure," she answered before walking into the building. Derek gave Isaac a look before following her in.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: And for Independence Day, you all get a new chapter! YAY! I finally found a muse! Tell me what kind of flashbacks you guys would like to see. It'll help me write.

* * *

"What was that about?" Derek asked, leading Amber downstairs. The young woman caught the edge in his voice and cocked an eyebrow. She'd heard it before, but not since high school. Well, she hadn't heard many of his speaking tones since high school. However, she could identify each one without hesitation. This one caused her to smile.

"We were just talking about fathers," she answered simply. She paused for a moment, biting her bottom lip. "What? Jealous?"

Derek scoffed and looked back at her, stopping on the bottom step. Amber stopped as well, looking down at him from a few steps up.

"Of a teenager? No," he replied before continuing down the stairs. Amber rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"Could have fooled me. Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm not into cradle robbing."

Derek turned to her, reaching the center of the training room. His betas weren't in the facility, so there was no need to talk in the subway car.

"Sweetheart?" he repeated.

"Don't get too excited," she teased with a chuckle. Derek looked aside, teeth clenched.

"What are you here for?" he asked. Amber's smile slipped and she looked down at the floor. She cleared her throat, staring at her designer heels. Derek watched her for a long moment, eyes wandering over her figure. Her little black dress hugged her figure perfectly as if it'd been made for her and only her. Her black heels added a few inches to her height and made her legs look even longer.

"I, uh," Amber started, noticing the shift of Derek's eyes. She looked away from him, pretending not to notice. Pretending she didn't notice his stark gaze. Maybe if she fooled herself into believing he wasn't staring, maybe the hot flutter in her gut would go away. "I wanted to ask you what you did to Peter."

"What?" Derek said, confused, in disbelief. Why would she want to know that? What would be the purpose in knowing? The point was that he'd killed his uncle. Not something many would be proud of, but Peter had murdered his sister to take her status as Alpha. And now Derek had it, his birthright since his sister was gone. What he had done to kill Peter didn't matter. Not to Derek anyway.

"I want to know how you killed Peter. Why."

"I told you why. He killed Laura," Derek retorted, his voice raising.

"I-" Amber stopped and took a deep breathe. Whenever he raised his voice, she raised hers and they just got louder and louder. She took a moment before calmly saying, "I know. But last night, when you touched my hand, I saw…"

Derek furrowed his eyebrows, waiting. Amber finally looked up at him.

"I just don't understand. Peter, he was such a nice guy."

* * *

"Hey, kid, have you seen my- Oh, sorry. I didn't know Derek had company," Peter apologized, stepping into his nephew's room and finding Amber sitting on his bed. Amber looked at him with bright blue eyes and smiled softly.

"It's no problem," she said. "Derek went up to the attic to grab some supplies." The teenage girl gestured up to the ceiling. Peter did a quick glance up before smiling, giving a small laugh.

"Guess I should have heard him. Are you a friend of his?" the older man asked, stepping into the room. Amber stared at him for a moment, noting how young he was. He was maybe in his late twenties and he was extremely attractive with messy dark hair and blue eyes. The Hale family was just filled with attractive men, wasn't it?

"Uh, yeah," she said sheepishly. She cleared her throat. "Yeah, we have quite a few classes together."

"Hmm. I take it, judging from the webpage you're on, you guys are working on a science project."

Amber looked at the web page for a moment.

"Uh, yeah. Biology project. Derek and I chose wolves."

"Wolves, such a fascinating subject. I take it, it was my nephew's suggestions."

"Yeah," Amber laughed. "It's his favorite animal and I told him he could choose since I'm better at research." This was true. As soon as the project had been assigned and Derek had grabbed her arm, she'd known that she'd be doing much of the research. Derek was not all that great at science.

"Mmm. An intelligent girl," Peter stated.

"That's why Derek chose me," Amber said with a shrug.

"Oh, I doubt that was his only reason."

Amber stared up at Peter for a long while. Was he implying that Derek had a crush on her? Wait! Was he saying that she was beautiful? Did he really think so? Someone that much older than her?

"I found it!" Derek exclaimed, coming into his room with a large poster board and smile. He looked at his uncle. "Oh, Amber, this is my uncle-"

"We've met," Peter said, still staring down at Amber. Looking down, the teenage girl licked her lips. It was normal to be attracted to older men, she told herself. However, usually those older men were celebrities and not your best friend's uncle. Besides, she was fourteen. He had to be at least twenty-five.

"Oh," Derek said. "Good." His brows furrowed, wolf senses picking up her fast heart rate. Peter heard it, too, and chuckled.

"I'll leave you to your project," Peter said, turning to leave. He leaned toward his nephew, whispering, "Good pick," before leaving. Amber looked up at Derek again. Wait, had her heart been racing for him? Was that what his uncle was implying? He stopped himself from grinning in a goofy way. Part of him was incredibly excited. A girl – and a cute one at that – may have liked him in a more than platonic way. At the same time, it was rather scary. He liked girls, but how did you go about this? Was fourteen too early to date? He decided that he needed to have a talk with his uncle once Amber left.

"Hey, uncle," Derek said softly, knocking on the open door of his uncle's bedroom. Peter was seated on his bed, reading one of his many books which were strewn around his room in an organized mess. Derek could see it was one of the many plays his uncle enjoyed. Peter looked up from it.

"What do you need, nephew?" Peter asked, that charming smile of his sliding onto his face. Derek shoved his hands in his pockets, leaning back to look into the hallway. Using his foot, he pushed the door closed. Peter's eyebrows rose with intrigue and he closed his book, setting it aside. "Must be important."

"What do you do when you like a girl and you think she might like you back?" Derek asked. Peter's smile grew and he withheld the rumble of a chuckle growing in his chest. He sat up a bit straighter.

"Shouldn't you be asking your dad that?"

"It would be embarrassing."

"It's Amber, huh?"

"You heard it."

Peter released a warm chuckle. He certainly had. He'd heard the racing of the girl's heart. He knew it was mainly because of him, but he could sense something between her and his nephew. And on Derek, it was much easier to smell, because he was also a werewolf. His nephew had a crush. His first crush, in fact, and Peter couldn't blame him. Had he been Derek's age, he'd have stolen her right from under his nose.

"That I did," Peter admitted. "Just be yourself, Derek."

"Myself? I shouldn't be like – I dunno – smoother? Cooler? Should I charm her?"

"Derek," Peter said, cutting off his nephew, "she seems to like you the way you are. That's why you're friends and, if she does like you, she does for you being you. You don't need to be anyone else, Derek." The teenager nodded. "However, I would suggest you shower more. She'll appreciate it. Trust me."

"I don't smell," Derek argued.

"You do. And when she points it out, you'll have wished you listened to me."

* * *

"I'm sure most murderers start out nice," Derek said sarcastically. Amber sighed, looking away.

"I went to see the house," she admitted. Derek waited for her to make eye contact which she eventually did. She swallowed hard and her blue eyes were watery. "It's, uh…" She paused, looking for a word. Any word. "Strange."

"Strange?" Derek said, head tilting down a bit, eyebrows raising.

"You know what I mean. It's… jarring. I dunno. I guess part of me thought I'd come home and it'd be…"

"Home?"

Amber nodded.

"It was the first place I went when I got here. Didn't even go to my shop first."

"Speaking of your shop, where is it exactly?" Derek asked. Amber felt a small smile come over her lips.

"Why? Planning to stalk me?" she retorted. Derek rolled his eyes. The Hale eye roll as Amber called it. They all had this sassy way of doing it, even the men. Amber giggled. "It's, um, kinda close to the high school. The only downside to its location."

"Downside?"

"Yeah. I don't need kids causing trouble in my boutique."

"I'm sure you can handle it."

"I'm sure I can, too. I'd just hate to," Amber said. "I'm not some fragile little girl. I know that I'll end up hurting some poor kid. We don't want that." Derek shrugged. Amber sighed. "I should get back actually. Lunch break is almost over." She turned, heading toward the stairs. Derek grabbed her wrist and she turned to him, not expecting him to be so close when she did. She looked down at his grip on her wrist then at his chest. Finally, she forced her eyes up to his.

"You're the boss, right? The alpha? I'm sure you could get a little extra time. You just got here," Derek said, voice low. Was he seducing her? She couldn't help but wonder. She hadn't been around him in so long and that tone sounded so familiar. Maybe she didn't know his tones as well as she thought. She gazed at his face for a long moment. There was something incredibly sexy about how rough he looked with his facial hair and yet his pale eyes betrayed his mysterious bad boy sex appeal. He always looked at her with such soft eyes and beyond them, she could see his beast.

Curse her racing heart. She knew he could hear it. It'd always been her give away.

"I really should go," Amber finally said, pulling her wrist away gently. He didn't fight. "It's the first week. If it wasn't so new, I'd stay. But I can't." She took a few steps back. "I'll see you later."

"Maybe I can stop by sometime," Derek suggested as she ascended the stairs. Amber stopped, looking back down at him.

"Sure. Maybe I can give you fitting. See how much you've grown."


End file.
